In 2017 the first two miles of Gilita Creek were logged. In 2018 seven (7) miles of the Middle Fork Trail #157 from the trailhead at the Gila Center to one (1) mile past the junction with Little Bear Trail #729 was logged. In 2019 seven and one-half (7.5) miles were logged and lopped from Little Bear Trail #729 to one (1) mile below the Meadows. Wonderful river walks with impressive rock formations along the way. Leafy vegetation such as clover grows very quickly and is quite tall during the summer season. It can hide cairns and tread. As a result, special attention is needed to stay on the trail near where it crosses the river. In 2020 four miles of the Middle Fork Trail were logged and lopped from one (1) mile below the Meadows to three (3) miles above the Meadows. This is the narrowest part of the Middle Fork with impressive canyon walls.

With over three million acres of forested hills, majestic mountains, and range land, Gila National Forest is best known for its wilderness areas, in particular the Gila Wilderness, the first wilderness in the United States. The magnificent mountain scenery, cool summer temperatures, and relatively warm winters permit a wide range of recreational opportunities during all seasons.

The Gila National Forest includes more wilderness than any other national forest in the Southwest. This undeveloped natural country can refresh the human spirit simply by its grandeur, purity, and remoteness.

The wilderness areas on the Gila comprise a vast, roadless realm astride the Black, Mogollon, Diablo, and Blue mountain ranges, varying from grassland foothills upward through juniper woodland, ponderosa pine, and then spruce-fir forests on the high peaks. Mountain meadows, aspen glades, and spruce forests border on narrow, rock-walled canyons which in some places plunge to depths of more than a thousand feet.

Three wilderness areas together total 792,584 acres or approximately 24% of the Gila National Forest. The Gila Wilderness, at 559,688 acres, is New Mexico's largest wilderness with an extensive trail system providing access. The Gila Wilderness, the world's first designated wilderness, was created on June 3, 1924, at the urging of the great conservation pioneer Aldo Leopold. The Aldo Leopold Wilderness lies to the east, while towards the west, the smaller Blue Range Wilderness adjoins Arizona's rugged Blue Range Primitive Area.

Aldo Leopold Wilderness
The Aldo Leopold Wilderness is 202,016 acres and straddles the Black Range on the eastern side of the Forest.
Blue Range Wilderness
The 29,304-acre Blue Range Wilderness adjoins Arizona's rugged Blue Range Primitive Area.
Gila Wilderness
The 558,065-acre Gila Wilderness, created in June 1924 at the urging of the great conservation pioneer Aldo Leopold, was the world's first designated wilderness.

The AllTrails website has a description and map of a hike using the Middle Fork Gila River Trail.